Obituary: Gilbert Bachman
A member of Georgia Tech's Engineering Hall of Fame, he built Dittler Brothers into a national printing company.
Gilbert Bachman died peacefully at his home in Boca Raton, Fla., on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the age of 91.
He was best known as a proud Georgia Tech alumnus, successful businessman and philanthropist. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Lee Gilner Bachman, who passed away Dec. 12, 2017. Gil was the son of Frances Lehrich Bachman and David Louis Bachman. He is survived by his two sisters, Doris Secunda and Claire Polin.
Gil was born Aug. 7, 1926, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and spent most of his youth there until the age of 13, when he and his family moved to Florida. He learned at a very young age that hard work and determination were the key attributes to being a successful entrepreneur. At the age of 16, he graduated from Miami High School and was accepted into Georgia Tech and entered the mechanical engineering program. Gil signed up for the Navy V-12 program and went on to graduate from Tech in 1946. He was the president of his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, and was later elected to Georgia Tech’s Engineering Hall of Fame.
Gil’s career with Dittler Brothers began in 1948 when he accepted a job as assistant production manager. He ascended to chairman, chief executive officer and majority shareholder. He built the small business into a national printing company that produced instant lottery tickets, promotional scratch-off games for companies like McDonald’s and timetables for 34 airlines. In 1965, Gil earned the Benjamin Franklin Award, the highest honor awarded in the printing industry. Gil also served as the president of the Graphic Arts Employers of America, the Research Printing & Engineering Council, and the Printing Industry of Atlanta. In 1983 he sold the company to Southam Inc., a Canadian communications publishing conglomerate.
Gil was active with a number of nonprofits, including the Atlanta Jewish Federation, Atlanta Humane Society and Anti-Defamation League’s Atlanta chapter. The ADL Southeast Region awarded Gil the Abe Goldstein Human Relations Award to honor his involvement with and concern for the welfare of the community. Gil married his beautiful wife, Lee Gilner, in 1950. The couple raised their five children in Atlanta. After their children were grown, the couple moved to Boca Raton. Gil and Lee’s legacy is their five children, 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who will cherish both of their memories.
Gilbert is survived by his children: Dr. David Bachman (Marjorie Rath) of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; Jeff Bachman (Anne), Glenn Bachman and Carol Bachman-Dlin of Atlanta; and Barbara Bachman Barnes (Matthew) of Ponte Vedra, Fla. His grandchildren are Daniel Bachman, Mark Bachman, Kate Bachman, Laura Bachman Andrews, Jennifer Bachman Miller (Jonathan), Stuart Bachman Winborne (Blanton), Kathryn Bachman Cagle (Michael), Taylor Bachman, Reese Bachman, Yeshai Dlin (Sarah), Oren Dlin, Ronen Dlin and Raviv Dlin. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Brooklyn Andrews, Katherine Andrews, Whitley Cagle, Elliott Dlin, Laura Dlin, Charlie Miller, Gray Winborne and Parker Winborne.
Sign the online guestbook at dresslerjewishfunerals.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in Gil’s memory be made to the Atlanta Humane Society, 981 Howell Mill Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, atlantahumane.org. To make a gift by phone, call 404-875-5331. A graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery, 1173 Cascade Circle SW, Atlanta, on Wednesday, March 7, at 11 a.m. The family would be honored to receive friends after the service from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the home of Jeff and Anne Bachman in Atlanta. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.
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